I've got this idea in my head..

United States
June 13, 2011 1:33pm CST
I've pretty much always been completely against the idea of tattooing someone's name on your body.. even if it's your child or spouse. I know not everyone feels this way.. and I have my reasons, which I won't get into. However, it popped into my head a few weeks ago that my husband would probably be thrilled if I tattooed his name on my body. It will show him, that even though we're married.. he is a part of my life forever.. no matter what. Even if we divorce, he'll always be my first husband and the father of my children. So.. what the heck. Well.. I've got this very ugly thing on my arm that I had tattooed on there when I was 18. It looks somewhat like a cross between a sun and a flower.. nobody really knows forsure what it's supposed to be. It's not colored in, just a black outline of it (faded a bit.. it's been over 10 years). And the worst part is.. it's off center! The guy who did it was holding my arm wrong. So.. I'm thinking that this tattoo with my husband's name will probably go over the top of this ugly tattoo. So I need a design that will cover this tattoo.. which will have to be large in order to be centered properly on my arm. I'm not crazy about that idea.. but it has to be done. I like girly things.. so I'm thinking flowers, hearts.. I'm not really sure yet. I'll probably also include the children's names around the outside of the tattoo with hubby's name in the middle of it. What do you think? So, I need to work on finding a tattoo artist who can draw something up for me and give me an idea of what this might cost.. I'm guessing finding the person and coming up with the money will be the hardest part. I'm also trying to decide when I should do this. Should it be a gift to him.. like Valentine's Day or our anniversary? Or should I just do it for no reason? I like the idea of doing it for a holiday.. I think anniversary would be best. Or is that cheesy?
3 people like this
12 responses
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
13 Jun 11
I have never liked tatoos.....that was a few years back I should say. My two sisters and I are very close and we decided to get matching tatoos....a heart with a banner that says Sisters on it....we have yet to do it...but its in the making. I bet your husband would be thrilled.....especially for valentines? Let him get past the new grill first!
1 person likes this
• United States
14 Jun 11
LOL.. I know! It's just an idea in my head that I'll have to start saving for because I'm guessing this will run in the hundreds. The last professional tattoo I got (1 is professional, 2 are amateur.. but this is the only ugly one) cost me $80 10 years ago, and it's pretty small. The one I need to do will have to be kind of big. It will take a lot of saving.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
13 Jun 11
Call me old fashioned or whatever but i don't care for tatooes especially on women. I hate to see anyone man or woman w/them all over their body.GROSS!!!!
1 person likes this
• United States
14 Jun 11
I don't like total body coverage either. I only have 3 small ones.. all can easily be covered up with the right clothing.. or shown off with the right clothing. The one on my arm is something I've been planning on trying to cover up anyway.
@AmbiePam (85432)
• United States
14 Jun 11
If you already have something on you that you don't like I'd say that's a great reason to get his name tatooed on you. I think it's a great idea for an anniversary gift.
• United States
14 Jun 11
Yeah, I thought anniversary too.. because with the kids' names in it, it will be more symbolic of our years together and what we've accomplished. Plus that will give me a couple extra months of planning and saving for it!
14 Jun 11
I think it is a lovely idea - my husband has my name down the inside of one arm in italics style and it looks very nice as only fine writing. Maybe it would be nice for a special occasion like Valentines day etc!
• United States
14 Jun 11
How sweet!
• United States
13 Jun 11
That's an interesting attitude to have about it. That even if you divorce, he will always be your first husband and the father of your children (I am assuming, you didn't say that but...) and therefore a part of you. Good point. :) I think I would do this for just an idle Tuesday. Nothing special, just an average day. But then, I'm a big fan of random gifts just for the purpose of making someone feel special.
1 person likes this
• United States
14 Jun 11
I think I will probably do it as an anniversary gift. Thanks for responding.
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
18 Jun 11
I don't have any ink on me, but I've been fascinated with the 'ink' shows on TV which makes me think of getting one. My problem is, I could never decide on something permanent. I figure I would regret it sometime later. But I think that is sweet that you will be doing it for your husband. Specially if it covers an old one that you don't like. I don't think it's cheesy. How about a butterfly?
• United States
21 Jun 11
I've got 3, got them all 10 years ago or more.. when I was around 18-19. The only one I regret is the one I want covered up.. I regretted it immediately because it's ugly and off center. The other 2 I still love.
• Canada
14 Jun 11
I think if one part of a couple is going to tattoo their partner's name on their body, the other partner should do the same, tattooing her/his partner's name on their own body. Just like changing a name. Why does only one party change their name in marriage? Doesn't make a lick of sense to me!!
• United States
14 Jun 11
I don't care if he gets my name tattooed on him or not. He probably would if I wanted him to.. or maybe after he sees this he'll decide to on his own.
@LadyDulce (830)
• United States
2 Jul 11
I think that's a sweet idea, especially for an anniversary gift. I also agree about the names on bodies thing, although I'd make an exception for children. Symbols or initials or a combination of the two can be a happy compromise. Six months after we married, I got a tattoo of my husband's initials inside my "mark" (a design I used to mark my property). I don't have a tacky name on my body, but he was quite flattered when he saw it and I can't see myself regretting it. Go for it! You could even come up with a design of your own or work it into the existing flower/sun thingy.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
14 Jun 11
flower - Something like this.
When you said flowers I immediately thought that you could do a flower with 5 petals and have each of your childrens names in a petal and have your husbands name in the center of the flower.
• United States
14 Jun 11
tattoo - off center tattoo I want covered up
That's definitely an interesting idea. That is kind of what I wanted.. hubby's name in the center and the kids around it somehow. Unfortunately I can't turn this tattoo into anything else.. I have to totally cover it up and extend it out so that it's more centered. Here's a pic of it so you can see how off center it is. What I could do is have a heart with hubby's name in it.. and surround that with flowers.. turning this one into some sort of flower matching the others.. and put a child's name in each flower. That's a cute idea!
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
16 Jun 11
I don't think that it is cheesy at all, and even less so if your husband likes tattoos as well. I've personally got two tattoos that I got when I was eighteen and nineteen years old. The dolphin on my ankle still looks as good as it did on the day that I got it. However, the hearts on my chest look terrible now, the color faded and they stretched a little bit after I had the kids. I would like to have a tattoo for my husband somewhere on my body, but I do choose to keep mine where I can cover them up (I'm hoping to eventually go back into nursing). However, my sister has a really cool tattoo on the back of her neck and I think I would like to use that area should I ever get another one.
@jameygc (452)
• United States
14 Jun 11
I always thought like you about tattooing a name on my body, until my child borne. We both, my husband and I went to the tattoo shop and got exactly the same tattoo with my child name on it. I think was something lovely because no matter if we divorce as you say. we always are going to have something in common, well, now to things. Our beautiful son and the same tattoo in the same spot. I think you should think about it very well because is something you know you will carry all your life. Maybe you think that way right now, but in a future, if something goes wrong between you two (we hope not), you don't know how you are going to feel at that moment and maybe your point of view just change, who knows. Only you will know if you should do it or not.
• United States
14 Jun 11
well i personally think you should get like hawaiian roses with your husbands name on it and children something very feminine and beautiful for you. i hope you like my idea but i'm sure what ever u choose to pick you will be happy with your results.